Just two shorts months ago I posted about the dear Holly Woodlawn, who was in failing health. Well her bright light went out yesterday. Holly Woodlawn, who was a transgender actress rose to fame in the early 1970s through her work with Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey, died on Sunday in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer. She was 69. Born Haroldo Danhakl in Puerto Rico, Woodlawn grew up in Miami before running away from home at 15 to hitchhike to New York City. Her story famously inspired the first verse of Lou Reed's 1972 "Walk on the Wild Side" After spending years in poverty in New York, Woodlawn met Andy Warhol, the man who would make her one of his "superstars," in 1968. By 1970, she starred in Paul Morrissey's Warhol-supported Trash, giving a performance thrilling enough to inspire George Cukor to launch a write-in Oscar campaign on her behalf, though neither an award nor a nomination materialized. But what another great pioneer for the transgendered.
“The boys at the baths loved me. Of course, they were all drunk and high and would've loved a French poodle barking out "Jingle Bells"!”
"I was like a low life in high heels."
“I would see these films starring Maria Felix, Lola Flores she was my very favorite. My uncle was the one that opened my eyes to glamour.”
“ Make a statement.....lots of chiffon and a fan,”
Good sweetheart......
Holly Woodlawn
October 26, 1946 – December 6, 2015
Holly was a fixture at parties with the art-crowd-set during the past couple of decades here in Los Angeles and Hollywood I had the pleasure to meet her, and play games with her. She was easy and approachable, and always remained beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace, Holly. You will never be forgotten
ReplyDeleteI love the song and find it sad that the inspiration for the song has now passed away. Here's to bravery and being yourself.
ReplyDeletemy very first grown-up gay purchase (in p-town) was frank kolleogy's poster of holly which i had framed. i loved how gorgeous he made her.
ReplyDeleteI need to come to your home..... it sounds like a Palace of Hidden Treasure. Gorgeous indeed.
DeleteRIP to a true pioneer.
ReplyDeleteoh no that's so sad.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteI think of how many roads she paved and how many doors, and hearts and minds, she opened.
I feel both sadness and gratitude. Gratitude for her bravery to be who she was.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I ordered a book from a Amazon type company, and somehow by accident I received Ms.Woodlawns autobiography A Low Life in High Heels. After reading a snippet and the book cover, I kept it. One of the most entertaining autos I read. She had a hard life, and was plagued finically, but always,had a sense of humor. What a life she had.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear there's a film there, somewhere...if anyone would be brave enough to tackle it.
ReplyDeleteRIP, and it upsets me thinking there were no news items on this during the past day or so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known.
ReplyDeleteGoing back year, I saw her perform cabaret once.....she is,was awful. But you know what? She was so funny and had a sense of humor about her talent, and she was so warm and engaging who didn't care about her talent. She was so nice.
ReplyDeleteA fine eulogy, Mistress. According to the BBC obituary she decided against gender reassignment surgery, saying "Honey, once they cut it off, it's OFF!"
ReplyDeleteI was reading carious articles about her. She sounds like to always had a great humor. What a life.
ReplyDelete